The AIA College of Fellows Fund, Inc recently announced the recipients of the 2026 AIA College of Fellows Component Grant, recognizing innovative programs that advance health, well-being, and help people thrive both within the AIA community and across the communities we serve. The Component Grant supports new or expanded initiatives that promote mental, physical, or community wellness and engage participants across all stages of the profession from K–12 students and emerging professionals to mid-career architect. The program encourages meaningful partnerships among AIA Fellows, Components, schools, community organizations, and wellness-focused groups to broaden reach, strengthen mentorship, and advance the mission of the College of Fellows. AIA Baltimore is one of ten AIA components selected to receive funding for the Urban Design Committee’s upcoming urban design and placemaking workshop.
The Thurgood Marshall Historic Corridor Urban Design Workshop is an interdisciplinary student workshop and charrette series advancing community health, well-being, and inclusive growth through design. AIA Baltimore is leading this initiative in collaboration with Bmore NOMA and Beloved Community Services Corporation. This effort is focused on revitalizing the historic Division Street corridor—one of Baltimore’s most culturally and historically significant African American communities. Conducted in conjunction with the opening of the Thurgood Marshall Amenity Center, the former elementary school of Thurgood Marshall, the program honors the legacy of Justice Marshall and other civil rights leaders whose advocacy helped shape this neighborhood. By using design as a means of preservation and regeneration, the fellowship strengthens community wellness and reconnects the area’s rich heritage with its vision for a vibrant, equitable future.
The Urban Design Committee is looking for volunteers to assist in planning workshops, mentoring student participants, and presenting on topics related to urban design, community development, and community-focused architecture. Learn more and sign up to help here. Contact UDC Co-Chair, Eric Johnson, with questions.
